Flushing-valve.



'I'. R. JENKINS, JR.

FLUSHING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED DECLBI, 1907.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.-

VUM/Qca;

THOMAS R. .tannins-JR., or BALriMoRn-MARYLAND, AssIGNoR or ONE-HALF ToMILToN c. GREER, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND'.

RUSHING-VALVE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 190s.

Application fledyDecember 81, 1907. Serial No. 408,761.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. JENKINS, Jr.,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing-Valves,- of which the following is a specification. 1

This' invention relatesto improvements in flushing valves and has particular reference to a valve suitable for use in liushing water closets in that upon being operated the valve will ermit sufficient water to flow through the c oset to flush the latter and then automatically ont oit such flow of water.

Gne object of the invention is to' provide an improved construction of valve of this character which may be readily connected direct between the water-supply and the closet' and avoid the use of a' storage tank, thus eliminating the expenseincident to the installation and maintenance of the tank and its fittings as well as their objectionable features from a sanitary point of view.

Another object of theinvention is 'to proh Vide a* iushin-g' valve of such improved construction as to enable" its entire interior working part-s to be withdrawn from the casingv upon the removal of a single part and thereby' permit a ready inspectiom cleanin or repairing ofsuch parts.

not er object is to improve the con-Y struction of such valves so as to make them sensitive in operation and permit of delicate adjustment in regulating the length of the flushing period.

Another object is to construct a v alve that will avoid a' thumping` ,or hammering noise at the moment of cutting-off the water supply, and a further object -is to generally improve the construction of valves of this class;

. to cheapen their cost and manufacture and make them ordinary use.

The" invention is illust-rated in the accompanying' drawing, in which,--

Figure 1, shows a plan view of the iniproved valve. Fig. 2', illustrates a central vertical sectional view through the same.

practically indestructible in -Fi=g.` 3,- shows a horizontal cross-sectional view' through the valve,-the section being taken on the line 31-3'015 Fig. 2, and Fig. et

illustrates a similar cross-sectional view drawing, .the numeral, l, designates the outer shell or valve casing having a watersupply connection, 2, at its lower end; a

Ahorizontal water-supply passa-ge, 3, extending inwardly toward the center of the casing from the supply connection and a port, 4,

4iii-one side 01:' said passage through which water/may pass direct to the closet, as. will presently appear. A chamber, 5, is provided in the casing at the side of the water-supply passage, and .the port, 4, when uncovered, establishes communication between the chamber and said supply passage. The

casing 1s also provided with a vertical pas` sage, 6, which extends from the chamber, 5, and at the lower end of this passage the casing is provided with exterior screwthreads, 7, by .means of which said vertical passage may be made tocommunicate with the closet bowl, or a pipe leading thereto, which it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate.

The upper portion of the casing is provided with an equalizing chamber, 8,' of a general circular form which is provided with a port, 9, in its bottom, 10. The port, 9, in the bot-tom of the equalizing chamber has position directly over the supply port, Ll, but is of a greater diameter than said supplyl port.

A cylindrical valve, 11, has position in the equalizing chamber and is provided with a depending central threaded stein,- 12, which, projects from the bottom sur-face thereof and around which a suitable washer, 13, is placed. This washer is held in place' against the bottom of the cylindrical valve byA means of a metal washer, 14, and a nut, 75, which it over and engage the threaded stem, 12. The

stem, 12, projects down into the port, 9, in

and projects upwardly from the bottom, 10,

of the equali-zi-ng chamber' and thus the` seat for the cylindrical valve is elevated above the bottom of said equalizing chamber'. By' I Cir this construction the liability of the lodgvcross-bar, 17, with circular central recesses,

18, and, 19, at the upper and lower sides thereof. This cross-bar, 17, ,is also provided with a central vertical stem, 20, which projects upwardly above the open end of the valve and enters a vertical chamber, 21, in a stem, 22, that is integral with and depends from a screw cap, 23, that serves to close the upper end of the equalizing chamber. The vertical stem, 20, at the upper end of the cylindrical valve .and the lateral lugs, 15, adjacent the lower end serve to maintain the Avalve in VVa position central with respect to the ports, 4, and, 9, but permit said valve to have a vertical movement in the equalizing chamber.

, A spiral spring, 24, has its lower end seated in the upper circular recess, 18, on the crossbar and its upper end encircles the stem, 22, on the screw-cap, 23. This spring by pressing downwardly on the cross-bar serves to keep the cylindrical valve seated over the port, 9, and counter-balances the weight of the operating lever and the tendency of the latter to raise said valve as will presently be fully described.

The interior chamber, 25, of the cylindrical valve is provided with a piston, 26 which, in the present instance is of a suitable flexible material and of a cup-shape. This piston is provided with a central vertical stem, 27, whose upper end projects through the piston and carries washer plates, 28, and, 29, at opposite sides of the piston while nuts, 30, on the upper end of said stem secure the latter with respect to the piston. The lower end of the stem, 27, extends through the closed end of the cylindrical valve and also through the threaded stem of' said valve; the extreme end of the piston stem carries a metal disk or head, 31, and a washer or disk valve, 32, which latter seats down on and covers the port, 4, of the water-supply passage. A groove, 33, extends vertically along the piston stem vand forms a vent passage from the cylindrical valve chamber below the piston, which vents into the chamber, By providing this ventpassage the space on the under side of the piston, 26, is kept free frorn,p1'essu`re that would hinder the piston fron making its downward stroke and will admit air in said space from the chamber, 5, when the piston makes its upward stroke arid thereby enables the piston to readily move up or down. when it is called upon to make either of its strokes.

In order to provide for a slight preponderance of pressure on the upper side ot' the piston, during such times as it is desired to keep the valve, 32, seated around the port, 4, I interpose a light spiral spring, 34, between the piston and the recess, 19, in the bottom of the cross-bar, 17.

A branch water-supplyV passage, 35, is provided in the valve casing, 1, which branches from and is always in communication with the main supply-passage, 3. This branch passage is provided at its upper end with a port, 36, having a conical seat which port opens into the e ualizing chamber, 8, at the side of the cylindrical valve. A needle valve, 37, is fitted into the side of the valve casing with its tapered end in line or in register with the port, 36, while the end of said needle valve passes througha stufling box, 38, and is provided with a head, 39, at its outer end. By means of this needle valve and the port, 36, the flow of water from the branch passage, 35, into the equalizing chamber maybe controlled so as to effect a filling of the equalizing chamber slowly or rapidly as desired.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be `seen that the cylindrical valve, 11, is provided at its upper end with a side lug, 40, and that adjacent to said lug the side of the valve casing is provided with an outwardly-extending curved recess, 41, with a lateral side extension or barrel, 42. An operating sha-ft, 43, extends through a stuifing box, 44, at the end of the barrel and has a reduced circular end, 45, which tits into and has bearing in a. circular recess, 46, in the wall, 47, at the side of the curved re-. cess. Adjacent the circular bearing-end 'the operating shaftis providerJ with a squared or angular portion, 48, on which a. circular. body, 49, is rigidly mounted. This body is provided with an arm, 50, which. extends laterally therefrom and projects beneath the lug. 40, on the cylindrical valve, 11. An operating'arm, 51, at. the end of the shaft, 43, enables the latter to be readily rocked or depressed. while a lug, 52, on the arm, 50, serves to prevent the operating arm from being elevated above its correct normal position.

Two washer plates, 53, and, 54, have posi tion ou the shaft, 43at the side of the body, 49,---the plate, 54, being held rictionally against the washer, 53, by the packing material iu the stuffing box.

In the operation of the device the passages, 3, and, 35, are always filled with water, being in direct communication with the water supply pipe, and therneedle valve, 37, is so adjusted as to provide a restricted passage for water through the port, 36, into the equalizing chamber. Normally, and when ready for operation, the water pressure in the passages, 3, and, 35, and also in making its strokes.

water-supply passage with a port, an equalizing-chamber also with a ort, and an outlet .aslight elevation of the valve, 32, from the piston I provide the vertical groove, 33, in

that the removal of the cap, 23, permits imvalve and operated by variations of pressure the chamber, 8, are equalized and the ports, 4, and, 9,' are closed. To iush the closet the arm, 51, is, depressed and immediately released and the ,depressing of said arm causes a slight rotation of the shaft, 43; raises the arm, 50, and lifts lthe cylindrical valve, 11, to momentarily uncover the port, 9. The lifting of the valve, 11, also causes port, 4, and as both the ports, 4,A and, 9, are manually uncovered a quantity of water from the equalizing chamber will escape and thus reduce the pressure in said chamber below the pressure in the passage, 3. This lowering nf the pressure 1n the equalizing chamber causes the preponderance of pressure in the passage, 3, to act on the under side of the valve, 32, and elevate it sufriciently to permit the water in the supply passage, 3, to pass through the port, 4, freely and thence through passage, 6, to the closet. Although the cylindrical valve immediately drops and closes the port, 9, upon releasing the operating arm, 51, the piston, 26, stem, 27, and valve, 32, remain elevated until the downward pressure on the piston, caused b,

the refilling of the equalizing chamber wit waternthgt flows through port, 36is suliicient to cause a downward stroke of the pistonand its stem. Tol enable this to be .readily accomplished without contending with pressure on the bottom side of the the piston stem throughwhich airlmay be expelled or admitted when the 'piston is It is found that a valve constructed like that herein shown and described operates with reliability and is free ,of-.noise and mediate access to all the working parts.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s,-

1. In a flushing valve, a casing having a passage, a cylindrical va ve movable vertically in the eaualizing chamber to control the port thereoi, a valve de nding from and movable independently or said cylindrical in said movable cylindrical valve, and means whereby the cylindrical valve may be'opew.I ated to cause a variation of pressure therein.

2. In a flushing valve, a casing having an upper equalizing chamber with a port, a lower water-supply passage also with a port and an outlet passage between said chamber and supply passage, a cylindrical valve movable vertically in said chamber with respect to the port thereof, a piston in said cylindrical valve and having movement independently of the latter, a stem operated by the piston, a valve carried by the stem to control the port of the supply passage, and means for operating the cylindrical valve to reduce the pressure on the interior thereof.

3. In a flushing valve, a casing having a water-supply passage with a port, an equalizing chamber-also with a port, .and van outlet passage between the two ports, a water-supply for said equalizing chamber, a valve movable in said equali'zing chamber, a piston also in the equalizing chamber and movable with respect to and independently of said valve,- said piston having a stem that extends through said valve, a valve on the lower end of said stem to control the port of the watersupply passage, and means for manually lifting the valve in the equalizing chamber.

4. In a flushing valve, a casing having a water-supply passage with a port, an equalizing chamber also with a port and an outlet passa e between said supply-passage and said chamer, a cylindrical valve movable vertically in said chamber, a piston in said cylindrical valve, a stem carried by said piston, a valve on said stem to controlthe port of the supply passage, means for venting the space in the cylindrical valve beneaththe piston, and means for operating said cylindrical valve. l f

5. In a iiushing valve, a casing having a water-supply passage with a port, an equalizing chamber also with a port, an outlet passage between said supply passage and chamber, a water-supply for said equalizing chamber, a cylindrical valve in said equalizing chamber, a piston in said cylindrical valve and having a stem that extends through said valve, a valve on the end of said stem, means foryieldingly pressing the cylindrical valve down; means for yieldingly pressing down on the piston, and means whereby the cylindrical valve may be manually operated.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature fin presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS R. JENKINS, JR. Witnesses:

CHARLES B. MANN, Jr., FELIX R. SULLIVAN. 

